Friday, March 23, 2012

In many past civilisations, women were considered attractive if they
were plump and rounded with voluptuous feminine curves. Being fat was a
symbol of beauty and fertility and a source of pride.
Obesity reflected status and wealth because only the rich could
afford to eat well. The ample wives of prosperous men stayed at home and
performed their traditional role as mothers and housewives, while poor
women were short of food, worked hard, and stayed thin. Nowadays, with
the abundance of food and the shifting role of women toward education,
economic participation, and employment, fatness has lost its spell and
most people’s perception of what constitutes female beauty has changed
to a model of slenderness.

Yet, today, in spite of new standards of beauty, people around the
world are getting fatter. The percentage of people classified as
overweight (exceeding in weight with a body mass index of 25 plus) or
obese (very fat with a body mass index of 30 plus) has increased
globally. And the situation in the GCC countries is especially bad, as
overweight and obesity rates have shot up alarmingly during the past
decades. In particular, women have become fatter than men in the region.

According to recent WHO data, the prevalence of overweight among GCC
men in 2008 was estimated at around 78 percent in Kuwait, 73 percent in
Qatar, 71 percent in the UAE and Bahrain, 69 percent in Saudi Arabia,
and 57 percent in Oman. The prevalence of overweight among GCC women was
almost similar to the rates for men: Kuwait 79 percent, the UAE 71
percent, Bahrain and Qatar 70 percent, Saudi Arabia 69 percent, and Oman
54 percent.

Although Europe also suffers from an increase in overweight
population the prevalence of overweight among women is much lower
(United Kingdom 61 percent, Germany 54 percent, Norway 51 percent,
France 45 percent, Switzerland 40 percent) and even more so in Asia
(Malaysia 46 percent, Philippines 28 percent, Indonesia 26 percent, and
India, twelve percent).

Obviously, overweight is now a serious problem in the Gulf region.
Yet, obesity is even a more critical issue. WHO data for male obesity
(20+) in 2008 were around: 37 percent in Kuwait, 31 percent in Qatar, 30
percent in the UAE, 29 percent in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and
nineteen percent in Oman. But shockingly female obesity rates (20+) were
much higher at 52 percent in Kuwait, 43 percent in Saudi Arabia and the
UAE, 39 percent in Qatar, 38 percent in Bahrain, and 26 percent in
Oman. And female obesity rates (20+) are also lower in Europe (United
Kingdom 25 percent, Spain 23 percent, Germany nineteen percent, Norway
eighteen percent, France fifteen percent, Switzerland twelve percent)
and much more in Asia (Malaysia eighteen percent, Indonesia seven
percent, and India two percent).
These high rates of obesity in the GCC countries are a major cause
for concern, presenting a major challenge to society. The health risks
of obesity are numerous. Being fat greatly increases the risk of
diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cerebral and cardiovascular
diseases and cancer, all potentially fatal, as well as causing serious
joint problems. According to The Economist (2012) the percentage of the
population aged 20-79 with diabetes in 2010 is nineteen percent in the
UAE, Saudi Arabia seventeen percent, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait around
fifteen percent, and Oman thirteen percent. Lower percentages were found
in other countries such as Malaysia twelve percent, Egypt and Syria
around eleven percent. The costs of dealing with all of these diseases
are enormous, putting great strain on health care services everywhere.

Overweight and obesity in the GCC are linked to various social and
economic factors. As a result of oil wealth, the GCC countries have
witnessed incredible socio-economic developments: high per capita
income, lifestyle changes, rapid urbanisation, increasing number of
supermarkets, and a shift to consumerism. This has been accompanied by a
transition in nutrition, with diet more often based on fast food and an
excessive intake of fats, meat, sugar, and carbohydrates alongside a
deficiency in fruits, vegetables, and grains. However, is fast food
consumption the only reason for women’s high obesity rates in the Gulf
region?

It is undisputed that another major cause of obesity for both men and
women is insufficient exercise, and this is particularly so for GCC
women. Recent WHO data for 2008 indicates the high prevalence of
physical inactivity for GCC women: 75 percent in Saudi Arabia, 71
percent in Kuwait, 68 percent in the UAE. (Estimates for men are better:
Saudi Arabia 61 percent, Kuwait 58 percent, and the UAE 55 percent).
GCC women are very inactive compared to those in other countries; even
in the USA, the figure is 51 percent. In Europe, inactivity rates range
from 48 percent in Sweden to 36 percent in France and sixteen percent in
The Netherlands, and the comparison with Asia is even greater
(Indonesia, 28 percent, Philippines 26 percent, India seventeen
percent). So, what is behind the high percentages of physical inactivity
in the GCC countries?

There is no doubt that the harsh climate of the Gulf region
characterized by high temperatures of heat, humidity and sand storms is
not conducive to physical activity in the open air for anyone. Women
rarely walk, mostly travelling by car.

Tradition and culture in a
patriarchal society also restrict women from moving freely outside the
home and consider physical exercise as a male activity. Also, the influx
of devices such as televisions, computers, and home appliances has
encouraged a sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, most GCC women do not carry
out domestic chores. Millions of low-cost foreign workers are employed
in the region in manual jobs, working as domestic staff, chauffeurs,
cooks, maids, housekeepers, and nannies. With all measures of comfort,
and no reason to lift a finger to do housework, GCC women are simply not
moving enough in their daily lives.

Like many of their sisters elsewhere GCC women want to be slim and
many are looking for a quick fix to achieve this. Some turn to diet
pills and medications, which at best have little long-term effect and at
worst have harmful side-effects, sometimes even causing death. Other
women opt for surgery, which can also lead to health complications. The
only safe formula for reducing weight and keeping it off is sensible
eating and regular exercise.

There is widespread agreement that 30
minutes of daily physical activity facilitates weight loss and weight
control. And perhaps more importantly, as well as burning calories, good
health defined in terms of physical, mental, and social well-being
increases with higher levels of physical activity. Even modest weight
losses can influence obesity-associated diseases such as type 2
diabetes, where a six percent weight loss combined with increased
physical activity can reduce diabetes incidence by 58 percent. And as a
bonus, exercise boosts energy, enhances confidence and self-esteem, and
stimulates healthier sleep and the ability to deal with stress.

Today, GCC governments are making efforts to combat the overweight
and obesity problem through health awareness campaigns and the promotion
of sport.

In Bahrain, the Third Arab Conference on Obesity and Physical
Activity (2010) launched a strategy to combat obesity and promote
physical activity in Arab countries. It made recommendations for the
prevention and control of obesity covering many areas: schools,
healthcare agencies, food companies, public benefit organisations, the
workplace, and the media. In Saudi Arabia, a National Campaign against
Overweight and Obesity has been launched by the Ministry of Health’s
Media and the Health Awareness General Department, developing programmes
for weight loss and increase in physical activities. In the UAE, the
Ministry of Health launched a ‘No to Obesity’ programme including
awareness lectures and physical training programmes for young Emiratis.